Top 10 BMW M3 Features

From original E30s through modern E92s, a list of our favorite ultimate driving machines

M Series cars undoubtedly drive gearheads to the BMW brand. Each generation has blended
performance with luxury while also being extremely receptive to the vast array of aftermarket
modifications available. Introduced in 1986 as a race variant of the entry level 3 Series, the E30 BMW
M3 began a lineage of race track and enthusiast success that carried to the current curtain call of today's
naturally aspirated E92 coupe.

While the next-generation twin-turbo 2014 4 Series rings
in a new era of what's to come, there is no denying the past. To celebrate what Motor Trend once called
the,"The World's Greatest All Around Car" when describing the 2009 M3, we
formulated a list of shining modified examples old to new of this iconic performer.

Below is a collection of rare, race-built and simply clean M3s previously featured and popular on our website. Some are modified
from front lip to exhaust tip, while others pride themselves on simplicity. Feel free to let us know if
we've missed any in the comment section.

Article excerpt: "With less than 1000 miles on the clock, HG Motorsports installed an ESS VT2-600
supercharger kit that would later dyno at 555hp at the wheels. This would be helped by the full
Akrapovic Evolution exhaust system with X-pipes, 100-cell sports cats and rear mufflers."

Why we love it: "Owner Felix Lyubovny owned six different BMWs before this E92. He is a guy who gets
it; somebody who enjoys fine European cars and the value of well-chosen modifications."

Article excerpt: "At around 400hp/ton, the power-to-weight ratio puts you in the same ballpark as the
Ferrari 458 or Gallardo Superleggera. And while it doesn't feel quite as rapid as those supercars, we'd
suggest it's not far off."

"The net result is an E46 fizzing with aggression that erupts like a volcano every time you push the
throttle. The noise fills every inch of road tunnels with sonic shockwaves that bounce back through the
windows (which you'll have instinctively opened before entering the tunnel)."

Why we love it: "With the advantages of lightweight optimization and the addition of a V10 engine, it's
no wonder why we love this M3 Coupe."

Article excerpt: "Addressing the exterior, Ricardo wanted to ensure people knew his E30 was different
and shouldn't be underestimated. The front and rear bumpers were shaved, enriched with an Evo 2
front lip and Evo 3 splitter, while the Evo 3 rear spoiler got a carbon fiber Gurney flap."

Why we love it: "Sourcing an E30 shell, Ricardo took what was a blank slate, dropped in an E36 S50
engine and followed through with his vision of the perfect M3. There is no arguing with dedication."

It's right on par with the 60 to 125mph times of a Ferrari 599 GTB or a Porsche 997
Turbo GT2.

G-Power's BMW M3 GTS

Article excerpt: "It arrives at 125mph in less than 8sec later starts to tell the power story. From 60mph
the standard E92 M3 will only reach 109mph in that time, whereas this GTS is pulling away at 1.3 car
lengths per second and climbing."

"It's right on par with the 60 to 125mph times of a Ferrari 599 GTB or a Porsche 997 Turbo GT2, both of which can trap the quarter at well over 130 mph. Is that better?"

Why we love it: "630bhp and shattering every speed limit in less than 8sec is reason enough to love this
G-Power creation."

Article excerpt: "It'll be pretty obvious from the pictures that this car has been modified, and it gets
driven hard, but it has also lived a quite pampered life. 23 years of dicing up the road, and the odometer
reads only a few ticks above 30,000 miles."

Why we love it: "Modified one owner cars in pristine condition are hard enough to come by. But finding
a daily driver with this degree of owner-driven dedication is even more rare."

Article excerpt: " Before VF starts bolting on parts, the engine bay is digitally mapped with a Romer
coordinate measuring device. Parts are then prototyped with CAD and stereo-lithography and test fitted
before final pieces are fabricated. The process saves time and can eliminate cutting into the existing
metal."

"The end result is a neatly packaged forced induction system that increases horsepower from 414 to
610hp at 5 psi on 91-octane fuel."

Why we love it: "Nik Saran of VF Engineering is a shining example of a tuner that tests products at the
ragged limit in order to assure quality. The modifications featured on this M3 are testament to that."

Article excerpt: "The creature was more of a golem-painstakingly sculpted into existence from
inanimate material out of love and a longing for what could have been. And that difference is exactly
what makes Leith Wain's E30 M3 a fitting heir to the Frankenstein name."

Why we love it: "This is no junkyard hack job but one man's detailed fabrication of what a V10 E30 M3
could've looked like had such an idea come out of the factory."

Article excerpt: "Both cars handled beautifully on the fast, sweeping back roads outside of Phoenix.
With its lower-profile tires, the white sedan turned in a hair quicker, while the coupe felt more
composed on bumpy, uneven pavement."

"On its own, the coupe is devastatingly fast and pulls with demonic force all the way to redline. But
compared to the sedan, its throttle response is a hair slower, taking just that little bit longer to wind up
and start heading towards the redline."

Why we love it: "From the outside these M3s could not look anymore different but both share a love for
high-horsepower antics."

Article Excerpt: "There are faster cars out there, but few have the visceral appeal of a proper S54-
swapped E30 M3 since the chassis is about 700lb lighter than the E46. It's alive in a way you never
thought possible."

Why we love it: "From graduating with an Auto Tech degree to working at a BMW shop, this owner is a
true brand enthusiast."